Getting his ass kicked by Urban in 2007 (I give him a pass in 2009, he shouldn't have ever been in that game.... just a shit year in college football where Rutgers, USF and BC were in the top five at various times)....

No.

Believing he was so capable he would save every and any dickhead that ended up on his roster after the Maurice fiasco (Hi Ray Small!)....

No.

Covering up for said dicksheads during Tatgate?

No.

It was......

Giving a gawd damn long-snapper a scholarship out of high school. Possibly the single dumbest thing he ever did as a part of the program.

Byrce Haynes, now a redshirt Sophomore didn't snap his freshman year and managed 47 snaps last year. Which at most positions would be expected, but a gawd damn scholarship long snapper should be able to come in and snap the gawd damn ball.

Now, with a senior schollie opening up due to various attrition George Madrikis, a walk on career long snapper that has at worst split time with Haynes thus far 1 v. 1 has earned a scholarship for his senior year (one that will not impact recruiting in other words).

Not only has he earned a schollie, but per Urban on the 97.1 Call In Show he'll split time with Tressel's SUPER SNAPPER.

and an offense that is not likely to punt very often! At least he will pay dividends on all those PATs.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

Honestly, I was just kidding about that not punting thing. Last year's offense really looked atrocious at times. Like OMG bad. I just got done rewatching all the games a few weeks ago, and one of my first thoughts was, "Man, this offense was not as good as I remembered it."

All reports from camp say the O has taken a gigantic step forward, but all the camp reports always say, "XXX is a future first rounder and YYY was unblockable and ZZZ could not be contained," so I take that with a grain of salt. I just hope Miller can hit guys on slant routes in stride, lead the RBs well on screens (things we did not do last year) and hit the split ends well enough to make the defense at least pay some attention to the deep outside thirds.

Oh, I would like to see a 50% correct read ratio on read option plays (that would be a significant improvement over last year).

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

Not really, when you consider that Tress signed 18 kids in 2010 and nine remain on the roster (with one going pro early in Hankins and only six starting) it's pretty shitty to have wasted a spot the following year that could have went to a contributor for a long snapper that isn't even elite at what he does.

I'm pretty sure they could have taken you on the team, spent a year teach you how to snap (if you can bend over that far) and been done with the position.

e0y2e3 wrote:Well Urban was raving about Braxton on his call in show today. That isn't something I take lightly. Urban errs on the side of calling people out always.

I don't know man. I think Meyer concerns himself more with the psychology of his message than he does with the truth of it. Guys who need a boost get a public comment, guys who need knocked down a peg or two get another. Some guys are doing really poorly and Meyer is very frank about that, others are doing very well and he is very frank about that too. I will wait until we see Miller do something against a good team. Meyer is more frank than Tressel, but so are DC politicians.

Miller HAS to have improved in the passing game, because he was really bad last year. REALLY BAD. He missed open receivers with passes, didn't see open receivers, did not give when he should have on options and gave when he shouldn't have. The fact that he did as well as he did last year is a testament to what he could be and how bad the B1G was.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

The fact that Miller was REALLY BAD at times last year...and I agree he was...but was also the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year...tells you all you need to know about his talent. Pssst. He was a sophomore in a system he didn't have a good grasp of.

There were at least a half dozen Tressel recruits on the roster who contributed far less than his scholarship long-snapper.....which is to say they didn't contribute at all. How are those misses less egregious than giving a scholly to a snapper?

Haynes really does get the ball back to the punter in a hurry...and accurately. That is not an unimportant asset on a winning team. Now I wish they would change that idiotic punt team formation...three punts blocked last year(IIRC)...two for TD's. Inexcusable.

Tressel teams went SEVEN years at one stretch without having a punt blocked. Sayin'

"I believe it is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting." H.L. Mencken

danwismar wrote:The fact that Miller was REALLY BAD at times last year...and I agree he was...but was also the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year...tells you all you need to know about his talent. Pssst. He was a sophomore in a system he didn't have a good grasp of.

There were at least a half dozen Tressel recruits on the roster who contributed far less than his scholarship long-snapper.....which is to say they didn't contribute at all. How are those misses less egregious than giving a scholly to a snapper?

Haynes really does get the ball back to the punter in a hurry...and accurately. That is not an unimportant asset on a winning team. Now I wish they would change that idiotic punt team formation...three punts blocked last year(IIRC)...two for TD's. Inexcusable.

Tressel teams went SEVEN years at one stretch without having a punt blocked. Sayin'

All good points. Like I said, his awfulness yet still amazing outcomes is a testament to what he can become. I am expecting a step change in his play this year, but like I said, I will withhold the accolades until I see it against Wisconsin or someone of that skill level. If he becomes simply competent in the pocket he will snooze his way to a B1G OPOY again and an invite to the downtown athletic club. If he becomes a good passer he wins the Heisman walking away and OSU has a shot a national championship.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.

Another factor in Miller's OPOY Award in 2012 is the pitiful level of quarterback play in the B1G recently. Last year was unbelievably bad.

This year, maybe an improved Miller...an improved Gardner...an improved Maxwell?...and the addition of Hackenberg at PSU makes things look a bit better. Indiana has some talented kids too, once they decide which one or two they want to play.

"I believe it is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting." H.L. Mencken

I am still struggling with the Gardner hype. Is he better at the throwing the ball than Detard? Of course, my eight year old daughter with size 2 hands is better at throwing a football (like a shotput). Will he make their offense more multi-dimensional? Yes. But I have already read enough articles comparing him to Collin Kapernick (Sp?) to make me ill. He tore up a couple of the B1G's worst D's last year and struggled against OSU and USCe. He still has limited weapons and if the Buckeyes could tackle last year he would have finished that game with 90ish yards passing!

I understand your point Dan, and I think that is the Biggest reason that the B1G is down. The QB play has been atrocious. OSU is as guilty as the rest of the league. Let's not forget we had a very fast tight end playing QB before Miller. Before that it was Boeckman.....

Like I have said in other threads, I long for the days when OSU QBs are not throwing screen passes and slants behind their WRs and at their feet. Let's just start there. I am not even looking for 15 yard deep outs to the wide side of the field against Revis or something, just accurate screens and slants that allow the WR/RB to a shot at YAC.

Coming from a Wolverine, we're the football equivalent of a formerly abused wife of a meth addict who just remarried the safe nice guy. We're just glad we have someone who's aware that it's a rivalry and that tackling on defense is integral. Baby steps.